multicamera workflow for interviews with multiple takes

[Michael Grenadier]

So I've been prepping a large documentary project with many interviews...  The director had initially brought in an assistant without much experience to organize the material and he had created individual sequences for each interview subject with the cameras lined up and output a h264 with a tc window and mp3's for transcription with timestamp referencing that sequence which contained multiple takes... I initially created multicamera clips for each take and then edited them into a new sequence to use as a source for editing to maintain the tc stamp on the transcripts.  

Just realized that I can simply open the first multicamera clip in the timeline and copy and paste the contents of the other takes' multicamera clips into the intial multicamera clip so all the takes of the interview are in one multicamera clip which will reflect the tc stamp of the transcript.  Make sense?  The only gotcha I can think of is that the timecode of the multicamera clip once edited into the actual edit will reflect the timecode of the active camera...  or am I missing some hidden option...  But that's what happens regardless...  but if necessary, can always match frame back to the multicamera clip to find the timecode that's reflected in the transcript.  

Any other gotcha's that I'm not aware of. 

Thanks as always

Michael

[Phillip Harvey]

Makes sense and I think I'd be doing a similar thing. At any rate, having the original sequence maintained in some form or another - doesn't even have to be MC - so you can at least reference the timecode that others may continually be looking at. 

When it comes to reviews that timecode probably won't be relevant anymore outside of someone maybe going back to reference something, like, let's add this back in, in which case you can still easily do that with the original sequence maintained.

I don't know if this will help you but just in case. Sometimes when I'm doing a multicam I'll use an extra track to put in visual information while cutting. It's usually text notes about what the content is that I'm scanning through, but it could also be timecode. That way while I'm scrubbing around in my main timeline I have a quick visual idea of where I'm at if the media itself doesn't immediately visually convey it.

[Michael Grenadier]

Thanks Phillip.  This is a big job and not sure how long I'll be involved and want to make sure an editor down the road isn't surprised by anything...  

[Phillip Harvey]

Totally. And I will disclaim that, though I've done a feature length documentary-style video, I haven't worked on one in the capacity that you currently are with a larger team. But from what I know of you I think you're going to do alright. Avoid some of those pitfalls like interpret footage for framerate and using Merge Clips, stay organized, and be able to communicate your process, and I'm sure it'll work out alright if/when other editors get involved.

I'd love to hear a retrospective on how this all goes when you finish. Lessons learned and whatnot.